UKC

Chris Craggs, perhaps the most prolific guidebook writer in the UK has just climbed his 1,000th route at Stanage in the Peak District, joining the elite and select, Stanage 1,000 Club.

Chris takes up the story:

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/older.html?month=08&year=2008#n45281

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

what to say A) what's he done on grit or B) is this really news :p

well done Chris

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: Quite an achievement, well done! Which is your favourite though?

In reply to Rob Cole:

Favourite out of 1000 - a tricky call!

I was trying to work out which route I had done most often - Mississippi Buttress Direct, Inverted V, Easter Rib, Ellis's Eliminate, Wall End Slab, High Neb Buttress, Gargoyle Buttress and Goliath's Groove must all be in the 100+ ascents!


Chris

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Is he the second UKCer to achieve this or are there others out there?

This bloke passed his 1000 a couple of years back: http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/profile.php?id=15359

In reply to Tyler:

I like the comment on his profile about you - it's not what you do, it's what you do that your friends can't, that really counts

OP - nice work Chris! I think I've managed the lofty heights of perhaps ten routes at Stanage now...

In reply to Tyler:

Yes, he completed the 1000 back in 2004

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=107419&v=1#x1477532

It has taken me four years to do the last 62! Mind you I have done almost 50 of them in the past four weeks.

I think we may be club of two!


Chris

In reply to Tall Clare:

I hadn't noticed that, the cheeky so and so! Mind you I'd be surprised if he can remember ever burning me off!

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: Well done Chris. According to my logbook, I've only done 479, so I've got some catching up to do. grin!

In reply to Chris Craggs:
Never mind Stanage - how many routes have you done at Ingleby Incline?

In reply to Chris Craggs:

Many congratulations Chris.

I don't think there are 1000 routes at Stanage that I could climb :¬( and even my lesser effort at all of Birchen was spoiled by Ron.

J

In reply to Toreador:

Three!!!!!!


Chris

PS .....and I have absolutely no memory of ever having been there!

In reply to Moacs:

Well according to my carefully compiled list (who says I am an anorak) there are:
24 Mods
57 Diffs
134 VDiffs (or HDiff to HVDiff)
121 Severes
117 Hard Severes
261 VSs
172 HVSs
142 E1s
and 107 E2s
That makes 993!


Chris

In reply to Chris Craggs:

was that dull thud the sound of a gauntlet hitting the ground?

In reply to Chris Craggs:
how many routes have you done on Peak Grit?

In reply to james oswald:

I haven't clue!

Chris

In reply to Chris Craggs: Well done, I'm only on 679 so far but using the 2002 guide.

Where is this 1000th route - Old Smoothie - I don't recognise the name, is it a new route? From the photo my guess would be that it takes a traverse line above The Punk - close?

In reply to Michael Hood:
>
Good effort


Spot on, its the break above The Punk reached by chimney out from the back. Its VS 4c in the 'definitive' but more like S 4a in reality.

Chris

In reply to Chris Craggs: Unfortunately I'm a bit sad like that about photo spotting; for instance I guessed that the small photo on the spine of Eastern Grit was the top of Strapiombante (which I did circa 20 years ago) before looking at any photos.

In reply to Chris Craggs:
Brilliant achievement Chris, inspirational!
Were any of these routes your own first ascents, and did you repeat them to see what they were like second time around?
Bill

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: Stanage? Didn't the pioneers use to call that the 'Lumbutts of the Peak'? Strange how fashions change...

In reply to Bogsy:

Thanks for the kind words.


The total includes 138 of my routes that are in the guide and four that are not. It also includes two versions of Jammed Stone Chimney.

I have repeated a few of my routes, The Link loads of times, Centre Stage and Another Game of Bowls being the most obvious ones.


Chris

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: A fantastic achievement, how long has it taken you?

How ar eyou enjoying the D300?

In reply to icnoble:

Fine, though those shot were taken with the mini-Leica; I only carry the D300 on 'serious' photographic trips!


Chris

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Nice one Chris, well done, I hope you enjoyed yourself too.

Perhaps we should get a badge made and a clever acronym. Perhaps an annual dinner sponsored by the BMC?

I have left Sydney for the urbane delights of Ilkley for now, after not climbing for four years, I am now fatter, weaker and much more scared. However, I have been back on Stanage and am at around 1030 and loved every second of being back on the Godhead.

I am looking forward to getting back into climbing and am hoping to try out Yorkshire grit for a while: Acme Wall is high up on my list at the moment.

Congratulations, once again.

A

Here for the sake of posterity and to define the obsessional side of this daft pursuit is a bit of a breakdown. I haven't looked at this in a few years but it looks almost unhealthy now.....

Easy 1
Mod 20
Diff 74
Vdiff 107
Severe 201
VS 247
HVS 181
E1 88
E2 40
E3 25
E4 13
E5 2
V 3
1002

Solo without mat 629
Solo with mat 170
Down solo 123
Lead O/S 67
Seconded 11
Redpoint 1
Frigged 1 (Quietus)

In reply to Archangel:

Welcome back - where are we going to have the Millenium Club meet, Oz or Sheffield?

Lists compared

Archangel / CC
Easy 1 /
Mod 20 / 19
Diff 74 / 46
Vdiff 107 / 120
Severe 201 / 197
VS 247 / 204
HVS 181 / 172
E1 88 / 101
E2 40 / 59
E3 25 / 44
E4 13 / 30
E5 2 / 8
E6 and up / 4
1002 / 1004


Chris

In reply to Chris Craggs:
Meet? There could only be one possible location......

Am no longer in Aus and I had to move away from Manchester to make sure I climbed somewhere else. Now reside in Ilkley and the moderators have shifted the "in Oz" bit from Arachangel. Just off to Caley now!

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:
what's the most routes anyone has climbed at Stanage?

In reply to Chris Craggs:

Being the true anorak that you are, you should be able to answer this question:

Including all repeat ascents, how many times have you made it from the bottom of Stanage to the top?

In reply to James Jackson:

Not a clue - but it has to be in excess of 20K times and possible double that!

Chris

In reply to Chris Craggs:
Bill Briggs will be on soon with some impossible sounding tally.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:
what's the most routes anyone has climbed at Stanage

In reply to Chris Craggs:

Oh god...no more excuse for me then.

If I do all those, I might actually be able to make it up a few E3s I guess.

Anyone around mid next week for a Stanage trip?

J

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Well done Chris, but when you've ticked 150 at Giggleswick I'll be really impressed. Then you can join me and Nige in the ranks of the really, really sad!


Dave

In reply to Chris Craggs:

Well done that man.

I presume you've grouped HS with S, etc.

In reply to Offwidth:

Just to compare with Archangel, though not in my original list (100 Severes, and 97 Hard Severes)

I have grouped the HDiff, VDiff and HVDiffs together though.


Chris

In reply to Chris Craggs:

Just found the old thread for the 2002 guide stats:

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=108540&v=1#x1490919

With the new named lines that means you could do over 960 named climbs before breaking into the extreme band. Add named variations and the unlisted stuff on our site and it could be done sub-E1.

In reply to Chris Craggs:

I also make it 1451 named and graded climbs in Stanage 2007. 1403 in 2002, 52 new, 4 gone missing.

In reply to Offwidth:

Odd, I make it 1415 - and get a different number each time I count them!

Could the BMC be persuaded to release a 'definitive' pdf tick-list, I would think a techno-whizz could strip the 'blue-spot' routes out of the guide easily enough.


Chris

PS Presumably your list doesn't include my four routes that are not in the current guide?
Graviton (EG p111)
Bell Heather (Stanage 2002 p216)
Fern Crack Direct Finish
Little John (the arete left of Tealeaf Crack)

PPS Michael's Legacy is Double Act so you can minus one!

In reply to Chris Craggs:

Bell Heather was certainly ditched, from memory the direct finish to Fern Crack was advertised just after publication (but we unfairly beat you to it, as a few minor things got spotted after closing date and before publication). Graviton should have made it but I don't remember Little John. Offwidth has about another 50 or so named lines about half of which make it as unnamed but graded minor lines in 2007.

I've just realised some routes have been down-graded to boulder problem only status and I won't have taken that into account (unless it got a route grade as well).

This is all from my hand counts, not from the BMC.

I would be very, very, very surprised if Ron hasn't done 1000+ routes on Stanage.

In reply to Chris Craggs:

Isn't your Little John the 1979 Gary Gibson route, the direct arete start to the crack left again?

In reply to Nigel Edley:


Well spotted ........ and bugger!

Oddly it didn't make the 'Definitive' though I am not sure how I missed it in the previous version.

Chris

PS we called it Little John not because of any Robin Hood association but because the rock here is remarkably clean due to the "outfall" from the cave above - if you get my drift!

In reply to Chris Craggs:

Forgot to add that was me posting from Nigel's machine. It is in the definitive (in the first ascent list and graded VS 4c in the text).

I've started a new thread with the numbers after a recheck to take out routes now listed only as boulder problems. I have 1425 named and graded routes (including I think three typos which should have been obviously named, ie in bold text.)

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=318506&v=1#x4698334

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

I am delighted (relieved?) to find I'm not the only person totally obsessed with Stanage. My figures are:

Led Seconded Soloed

M 0 0 10
D 4 0 43
VD 3 0 105
S 0 1 98
HS 4 5 85
VS 29 15 100
HVS 37 13 50
E1 14 6 4
E2 4 3 0
E3 1 1 1
E4 0 1 0

Total
Totals 96 45 496 637

Which makes me 4th so far I think! I have included anything in the definitive with a passing mention (as long as it got a route grade), but nothing that only gets a V grade.

cheers,

Sam

In reply to Chris Craggs: Also is Graviton the same as Quark (1983)?

In reply to Sam Beaton:

I think they are only counting leads and solos (ie not seconding or top rope ascents). Mine is at somewhere around 700-800 at a guess (not counted yet).

In reply to Offwidth:

I don't thinks so, Quark is further left at least at the start, then it crosses to the right. The mantels on Graviton are desperate - no-one could ever have given them 5a!


Chris

In reply to Offwidth:

When you get to my age/state/weight you take any form of ascent that you can get!


Chris

In reply to Chris Craggs:

You're assuming the topo line in the guide is right. I can't see there being two independant lines up that wall. I agree there is nothing there at 5a but that will just be a mistake based on a sandbag FA grade. I'll check it out.

In reply to Chris Craggs: Don't tell me you are counting seconds and top-roped ascents?

In reply to Offwidth:

Absolutely - don't tell me you are not!


Chris

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

1,000 Stanage Routes For Chris Craggs you say?... Seems like a fair swap. Where do I cash him in?

In reply to Chris Craggs:
I'd rather assumed from the reports that any clean ascent counted.
What about descents?

In reply to Chris Craggs:

I have led or soloed all but a handful of the ~ 450 named routes graded HS or below. I've also led or soloed about 3/4 of the named VS lines and a fair few harder routes. If you count seconds or top ropes, I must be getting close to 1000 but still haven't transferred my climbs to the new guidebook yet.

In reply to Toreador:

I hope so - I don't want to have to start all over again!

Chris

In reply to Chris Craggs:
Are dynos allowed when down climbing?

In reply to Chris Craggs:

OK I've got over the shock now of you not only counting leads and solos. Dont tell me there are large numbers of climbs at Stanage you have only ever descended!?

In reply to Offwidth:

At a very rough guess I have probably soloed 700 of the 1000, and seconded/t-r between 50 and 100. Quite a lot of the new routes we found I pointed Colin/Graham/DG at, then followed them - magnanimous eh?


Chris

In reply to Chris Craggs:

I'm similarly magnanimous sometimes on stuff that scares me

You should really consider leading/soloing another batch and do it properly (no discounting the superb achievement of course...). What's 50 to 100 leads on routes climbed before on Stanage to a man of your calibre and knowledge??

In reply to Offwidth: The original challenge was to 'climb' 1000 routes at Stanage, period. Style is important but not limiting. It sounds like there is room for very many eliminate variants to the original: 1000 routes down solo'd without chalk on Tuesdays being one possible.

Perhaps the members of Stanage One K Climbs should draw up a manifesto, a set of rules, a credo; or perhaps we should just get out and climb somewhere else for a bit.

In reply to Archangel:

Well as there are currently only two paid-up members we can choose any rules we want!

How about:
Rule 1) To solo/lead/second/top-rope 1000 separate listed routes on Stanage
Rule 2) There shall be no more rules!

Chris

In reply to Chris Craggs: Can we cut out the top roping?

In reply to Chris Craggs:

amendment to Rule 1: please add "cleanly"

In reply to lithos:

Oi - no input until you are a member!


Chris

In reply to Archangel:

How about:
Rule 1) To be become a member of the Stanage 1K Club (S1KC) you are required to ascend (solo/lead/second) 1000 separate listed routes on Stanage.
Rule 2) There shall be no more rules!

Chris

PS We could offer Associate Membership for 0.5K, 0.3K and 0.1K aspirants!

In reply to Chris Craggs:

I will have you know I was within a dozen routes of doing everything in the Stanage guide, then they brought recent developments out and blew me out of the water. Still only done about 400 on there.;-(

Completed the original Laddow guide though

In reply to Chris Craggs: That's OK but counts me out as I descended 100 odd, can we just say climb?

In reply to Archangel:

Fine by me!


Chris

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

About 600 for me, Amateur!

In reply to DerwentDiluted:

That's not too bad considering when I started there the guide we usd only had 440 routes! 40 years earlier and you could have 160 FAs to your name!


Chris

In reply to Chris Craggs:

40 years earlier and wouldn't you have risked collecting lead shot in your butt from gamekeepers?

In reply to Offwidth:

Never been keepered as long as I have been going there (late 60s). I think the problem with keepering was pre WW2.

Chris

In reply to Chris Craggs:

"...when I started there the guide we usd only had 440 routes! 40 years earlier ..."

late 60s - 40 = ?

In reply to Offwidth:

I was referring to the guy who has done 600 - if he had started when I did (40 years ago) he could potentially have claimed 160 new routes as there were only 440 in the guide we used at the time.



Chris

In reply to Chris Craggs:

I know; hence the smiley thing